Abstract
A pot experiment was carried out during spring and fall seasons 2018 at the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad. The layout of the experiment was factorial and aimed to study the effect of three factors on field emergence and its properties of maize seed. The first factor was four cultivars (Baghdad3, Fajr1, Al-Maha and Sara). The second factor was seed priming by soaked it in gibberellin (GA3) (primed and un-primed seed). The third factor was drought stress represented by irrigation interval (irrigation every 2, 4 and 6 days). Randomize complete block design with four replications was used. The results of spring season showed that seed priming led to give lower means of first day, time mean, and higher means of first and final count, coecient of velocity and index of field emergence (3.3 day, 5.2 day, 22.9%, 66.4%, 19.6 and 191), respectively. Treatment of irrigation every 2 days gave lower means of first day, time mean and higher means of first and final count, coecient of velocity and index of field emergence (3.8 day, 5.4 day, 17.7%, 61.9%, 19.1 and 163.1), respectively. The results of fall season showed that Al-Maha cultivar gave lower and higher means of first day and coecient of velocity of field emergence (4.0 day and 17.9), respectively. Baghdad3 cultivar gave higher means of first and final count, index, and lower mean of time mean of field emergence (11.3%, 56.7%, 145 and 5.7 day), respectively. Seed priming led to give lower means of first day, time mean, and higher means of first and final count, coecient of velocity and index of field emergence (3.9 day, 5.5 day, 10.9%, 54.9%, 18.3 and 142), respectively. Treatment of irrigation every 4 days gave lower mean of first day of field emergence (4.2 day). Treatment of irrigation every 2 days gave higher means of first and final count and index of field emergence (9.7%, 54.5% and 128), respectively. Treatment of (Sara × primed seed × irrigation every 6 days) gave lower mean of first day of field emergence (2.5 day). Treatment of (Baghdad3 × primed seed × irrigation every 2 days) gave higher means of first and final count, coefficient of velocity and index of field emergence (35.0%, 90.0%, 20.1 and 19.5), respectively. It can be concluded that Baghdad3 and Sarah the cultivars have the ability to tolerate drought stress somewhat after priming their seed, especially when planting in fall season. ,therefor it could be recommended to prim seed of these cultivars before planting under stress conditions of drought or not.